L’Antonio Cassano who turns forty today, looking back and retrieving the films of when he was twenty and inventing worlds that weren’t there with the ball, would make a face of his own – a grimace, a crooked mouth, a restrained smile, eyes shelled – and would say: “My goodness, how strong I was.” She really was. The most talented of his generation, the one after Totti and Del Piero, the last so generous of class in the history of our football.
Cassano at twenty was Peter Pan. Or Harry Potter. But also one of the Minions. A goblin, a genius. Crazy. An Aladdin too big to fit inside a lamp, a Rebel without a cause. El Gordo, for the Spaniards. The Fat Guy. One who stood in front of the snack machine waiting for him to spit something out. One who dissipated the gift that Nature had bestowed upon him, choosing him from thousands and thousands of kids. Cassano at twenty had everything, but that everything was still not enough. He became famous for “Cassanate”even before his dribbling.
He combined them big. Pierino at the big maneuvers, in third C. The beginnings in Parma, the happy days in Rome, the failure in Madrid, the rebirth at Sampdoria. Milan then, first Milan and then Inter. Without ever belonging to anyone but himself. Over thirty: a couple of excellent championships at Parma, the return to Sampdoria, the attempt to get back on track in Verona, but it was all over for some time. The farewell to football five years ago. And we still haven’t figured out who gave up who. Football got tired of him or vice versa.
Today Antonio is a fulfilled man, one could say that he has calmed down. He has found his balance: he spends his days with his ex-water polo wife Carolina – applause, he has made him a model husband-father – and with his children, Christopher, 11, and Lionel – in honor of Messi – who has 8. Yes, they both play football. His popularity remained the same. With friends Bobo VieriNicola Ventola and Lele Adani, gave birth to the Bobo TV which is being broadcast with great following on Twitch.
It is a Cassano to the nth degree, without filters, who does not spare criticism and lashing judgments to colleagues today. He belittled Zaniolo. “50 million for him: madness.” He dismantled Cristiano Ronaldo, who replied by sending him 9 messages on Whatsapp and reminding him that he scored 750 goals and Cassano only 150. Fantantonio’s reply was immediate. «Dear Ronaldo, you have it all. Live calm and relaxed. Take an example from Messi, who doesn’t give a damn about everything. But how are you put? ».
The Cassano who turns forty today who knows where and when he lost that spark of beauty he had when he was having fun with the ball between his feet. Now it is even superfluous to discuss who and what could have become – which champion, which champion – if only he had had another mind and had dedicated himself – let’s say – with more discipline and sacrifice to his work. It was Cassano. Point and stop. Maybe we were wrong to pretend that he was different from what he was. Cassano has always been a beautiful unfinished, who made his diversity enough and threw it in the face of those who wanted it approved, lined up for two with the rest of three. How much genius, how much waste, how much beauty in the wind.
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Source: Vanity Fair
